scholarly journals Reducing the Burden of Anemia and Neural Tube Defects in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Analysis to Identify Countries with an Immediate Potential to Benefit from Large-Scale Mandatory Fortification of Wheat Flour and Rice

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 244
Author(s):  
Vijaya Kancherla ◽  
Manpreet Chadha ◽  
Laura Rowe ◽  
Andrew Thompson ◽  
Sakshi Jain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wheat Flour ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Life Years ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Using a predetermined set of criteria, including burden of anemia and neural tube defects (NTDs) and an enabling environment for large-scale fortification, this paper identifies 18 low- and middle-income countries with the highest and most immediate potential for large-scale wheat flour and/or rice fortification in terms of health impact and economic benefit. Adequately fortified staples, delivered at estimated coverage rates in these countries, have the potential to avert 72.1 million cases of anemia among non-pregnant women of reproductive age; 51,636 live births associated with folic acid-preventable NTDs (i.e., spina bifida, anencephaly); and 46,378 child deaths associated with NTDs annually. This equates to a 34% reduction in the number of cases of anemia and 38% reduction in the number of NTDs in the 18 countries identified. An estimated 5.4 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) could be averted annually, and an economic value of 31.8 billion United States dollars (USD) generated from 1 year of fortification at scale in women and children beneficiaries. This paper presents a missed opportunity and warrants an urgent call to action for the countries identified to potentially avert a significant number of preventable birth defects, anemia, and under-five child mortality and move closer to achieving health equity by 2030 for the Sustainable Development Goals.

scholarly journals EXAMINING THE DOUBLE BURDEN OF MALNUTRITION FOR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AND WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES: A SCOPING REVIEW PROTOCOL

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Mulimba Were ◽  
SAVERIO STRANGES ◽  
Ishor Sharma ◽  
Juan-Camilo Vargas-Gonzalez ◽  
M. Karen Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Preschool Children ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
World Health ◽  
Women Of Reproductive Age ◽  
Double Burden ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Double Burden Of Malnutrition ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Introduction: The majority of the populations in Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) are encountering the double burden of malnutrition (DBM): the coexistence of both undernutrition and overnutrition sequalae. With DBM being a new phenomenon in research, little is known about its etiology, operational definitions and risk factors influencing its manifestation. The proposed scoping review is aimed at mapping literature with regards to the DBM phenomenon among preschool children and women of reproductive age in LMICs who are among the most high-risk groups to encounter DBM. Methods: A comprehensive literature search will be conducted in the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, LILACS and ProQuest Dissertations & Thesis Global. Additionally, searches in other government and institutional sources (World Health Organization website and university repositories) and forward and backward citation tracking of seminal articles will also be done. Two reviewers will independently conduct title and abstract screening and full text screening. Similarly, data extraction and coding will independently be done by two reviewers. Information extracted from included literature will be analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis approach and reported as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval is not required for this study because the review is based on literature from publicly available sources. The dissemination of our findings will be done through presentations in relevant conferences and publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

scholarly journals Large-Scale Food Fortification and Biofortification in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Review of Programs, Trends, Challenges, and Evidence Gaps

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saskia J. M. Osendarp ◽  
Homero Martinez ◽  
Greg S. Garrett ◽  
Lynnette M. Neufeld ◽  
Luz Maria De-Regil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Fortification ◽  
Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Quality Of Delivery ◽  
And Control ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Background: Food fortification and biofortification are well-established strategies to address micronutrient deficiencies in vulnerable populations. However, the effectiveness of fortification programs is not only determined by the biological efficacy of the fortified foods but also by effective and sustainable implementation, which requires continual monitoring, quality assurance and control, and corrective measures to ensure high compliance. Objective: To provide an overview of efficacy, effectiveness, economics of food fortification and biofortification, and status of and challenges faced by large-scale food fortification programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Methods: A literature review of PubMed publications in English from 2000 to 2017, as well as gray literature, targeting nongovernmental organizations whose work focuses on this topic, complemented by national reports and a “snowball” process of citation searching. The article describes remaining technical challenges, barriers, and evidence gap and prioritizes recommendations and next steps to further accelerate progress and potential of impact. Results: The review identifies and highlights essential components of successful programs. It also points out issues that determine poor program performance, including lack of adequate monitoring and enforcement and poor compliance with standards by industry. Conclusions: In the last 17 years, large-scale food fortification initiatives have been reaching increasingly larger segments of populations in LMIC. Large-scale food fortification and biofortification should be part of other nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive efforts to prevent and control micronutrient deficiencies. There are remaining technical and food system challenges, especially in relation to improving coverage and quality of delivery and measuring progress of national programs.

Maternal morbidity

2018 ◽  
pp. 112-116
Author(s):  
Mary McCauley ◽  
Nynke van den Broek
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Maternal Health ◽  
Maternal Mortality ◽  
Maternal Morbidity ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Maternal morbidity describes complications that have a significant effect on women during and after pregnancy, and are a leading cause of ill-health among women of reproductive age, especially in low- and middle-income countries. With the introduction of the new Sustainable Development Goals, the scope of global maternal health targets has been expanded, moving from a focus on preventing maternal mortality to formulating targets and emphasising the importance of maternal health and wellbeing. This chapter introduces the new concept of maternal morbidity, suggests how this relates to maternal mortality, and summarises what is known about the burden of maternal morbidity globally and what interventions and research are needed to improve maternal health during and after pregnancy, with an emphasis on the context of low- and middle-income countries.

scholarly journals A Framework for Assessing the Economic Value of Pharmacovigilance in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Drug Safety ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 127-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph B. Babigumira ◽  
Andy Stergachis ◽  
Hye Lyn Choi ◽  
Alexander Dodoo ◽  
Jude Nwokike ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Value ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

The burden of selected congenital anomalies amenable to surgery in low and middle-income regions: cleft lip and palate, congenital heart anomalies and neural tube defects

2014 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideki Higashi ◽  
Jan J Barendregt ◽  
Nicholas J Kassebaum ◽  
Thomas G Weiser ◽  
Stephen W Bickler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Burden Of Disease ◽  
Congenital Anomalies ◽  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Low And Middle Income

ObjectiveTo quantify the burden of selected congenital anomalies in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) that could be reduced should surgical programmes cover the entire population with access to quality care.DesignBurden of disease and epidemiological modelling.SettingLMICs from all global regions.PopulationAll prevalent cases of selected congenital anomalies at birth in 2010.Main outcome measuresDisability-adjusted life years (DALYs).Interventions and methodsSurgical programmes for three congenital conditions were analysed: clefts (lip and palate); congenital heart anomalies; and neural tube defects. Data from the Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study were used to estimate the combination of fatal burden that could be addressed by surgical care and the additional long-term non-fatal burden associated with increased survival.ResultsOf the estimated 21.6 million DALYs caused by these three conditions in LMICs, 12.4 million DALYs (57%) are potentially addressable by surgical care among the population born with such conditions. Neural tube defects have the largest potential with 76% of burden amenable by surgery, followed by clefts (59%) and congenital heart anomalies (49%). Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia have the greatest proportion of surgically addressable burden for clefts (68%), North Africa and Middle East for congenital heart anomalies (73%), and South Asia for neural tube defects (81%).ConclusionsThere is an important and neglected role surgical programmes can play in reducing the burden of congenital anomalies in LMICs.

Large-scale road safety programmes in low- and middle-income countries: An opportunity to generate evidence

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 504-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adnan A. Hyder ◽  
Katharine A. Allen ◽  
David H. Peters ◽  
Aruna Chandran ◽  
David Bishai
Keyword(s):  
Road Safety ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

scholarly journals Stigma and discrimination related to mental illness in low- and middle-income countries

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 382-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Semrau ◽  
S. Evans-Lacko ◽  
M. Koschorke ◽  
L. Ashenafi ◽  
G. Thornicroft
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Stigma And Discrimination ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Long Term Follow Up ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Aims.This paper aims to provide an overview of evidence from low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs) worldwide to address: the nature of stigma and discrimination, relevant context-specific factors, global patterns of these phenomena and their measurement and quantitative and qualitative evidence of interventions intended to reduce their occurrence and impact. The background to this study is that the large majority of studies concerned with identifying effective interventions to reduce stigma and discrimination originate in high-income countries (HICs). This paper therefore presents such evidence from, and relevant to, LAMICs.Methods.Conceptual overview of the relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature on stigma and discrimination related to mental illness in LAMICs are available in English, Spanish, French and Russian.Results.Few intervention studies were identified related to stigma re-education in LAMICs. None of these addressed behaviour change/discrimination, and there were no long-term follow-up studies. There is therefore insufficient evidence at present to know which overall types of intervention may be effective and feasible and in LAMICs, how best to target key groups such as healthcare staff, and how far they may need to be locally customised to be acceptable for large-scale use in these settings. In particular, forms of social contacts, which have been shown to be the most effective intervention to reduce stigma among adults in HICs, have not yet been assessed sufficiently to know whether these methods are also effective in LAMICs.Conclusion.Generating information about effective interventions to reduce stigma and discrimination in LAMICs is now an important mental health priority worldwide.

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